Arsenic in Backyard Eggs

Read this posting at http://backyardfarming.blogspot.com/2010/07/arsenic-in-your-eggs.html and thought everyone should be aware of it.

Threw our last bag of chicken feed (and chick feed) away so can't check it but from now on ... will be checking our feed for Roxarsone ... you better believe it!

(Actually picking up more today, plus bulk oats, bulk cracked corn, and bulk black oil sunflower seeds... almost all of our livestock will eat, plus even good for us!).

= = = =

We've had a lot of storms here lately. On July 4 we had a tornado nearby and the terrible storm and hail that went with it. Tuesday night we had another horrible storm that gushed rain all over. Thinking about how to improve our critter pens so they don't get as much water, although for the most part, they stayed pretty dry. Lost a couple of raspberries, blueberries, some pumpkins, a tomato, summer squash and who knows what else. Oh, and some more of our roofing came off. Wonderful house we just bought.

Too late to replant most of what I wanted to grow. Not gonna have much to harvest this year. Next year WILL be different.... chickens scratching and pooping, goat-stall to muck and spread around... and drainage ditches dug in strategic places ... maybe even a greenhouse or two ... soooo much better next year.

Temp on Wednesday was supposed to top 67 degrees. Yup. That's all. (Sorry USA East Coast). Actually slept last night but my poor corn and tomato plants are NOT happy. And just before it started raining again (3:30 p.m.), I got some indoor tomatoes (3 amish paste and 2 purple russian) transplanted outside. Also threw some millet seed on a small area and lightly covered it with potting soil. AND placed some potting soil against a couple of patches of fence and placed some missouri wonder bean seeds then covered with about an inch more of potting soil. (We have mostly sandy loam, remember?).

Today I plan to do more beans (blue lake vining bean) along another patch of fence, using the same method I did yesterday. I'll also neatly place some potting soil on a place that is pretty bare, near the chicken coop, sow some different kinds of squash (patty pan, zucchini and yellow straightneck) that will be ready to harvest in about 60 days (please no early frosts!) and cover with more potting soil. AND by the very slow growing corn patch, plant some sonoran gold bush tepary bean seeds and in the slow-growing popcorn bed plant some black valentine bush bean seeds. THEN I'll hope for more rain... supposed to have some this afternoon! If not, I'll water heavily.

Working on the Kid's 9th grade curriculum, which he starts the 2nd week in August. Ordered some books from Amazon.com and 2 of them came yesterday. Hope he's ready to be a freshman because this year will be his hardest yet. Should be fun tho. I'm incorporating the local exhibit of King Tut (Denver) into his geography lessons. I know, it's a stretch but how often in one's life does that exhibit come within 100 miles of you?!?! Already planned the date to go, asked my mom-in-law to go, and are getting tickets. Giving the Kid the day off from school so we can spend the entire day there (Hubby's taking the day off too). Worth it.